Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 1

Two by Two: Classifying Animals Grade Level or Special Area: Third Grade Science Written by: Tricia Williford, Lincoln Academy Charter School Length of Unit: Seven lessons (approximately eight days, including assessment; one day = 45 minutes) I. ABSTRACT This third grade unit will give your students great exposure to the world of animal classification! With great books, student acting, hands-on activities, and plenty of opportunities to show what they know, the students will experience the important characteristics of these vertebrates: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. II. OVERVIEW A. Concept Objectives 1. Students will understand characteristics of animals that allow them to live in specific environments. (Colorado State Science Standard #3) 2. Students will develop an awareness of different classes of vertebrates. B. Content from the Core Knowledge Sequence 1. Third Grade Science: Introduction to Classification of Animals (p. 81) a. Scientists classify animals according to the characteristics they share, for example: i. Cold-blooded or warm-blooded ii. Vertebrates (have backbones and internal skeletons) or invertebrates (do not have backbones or internal skeletons) b. Different classes of vertebrates i. Fish: aquatic animals; breathe through gills; cold-blooded; most have scales; most develop from eggs that the female lays outside her body ii. iii. iv. Amphibians: live part of their lives in water and part on land; have gills when young, later develop lungs; cold-blooded; usually have moist skin Reptiles: dry, thick, scaly skin; hatch from eggs; cold-blooded Birds: most can fly; have feathers and wings; most build nests; hatch from eggs; most baby birds can be fed by parents and cared for until they can survive on their own (although some, like baby chickens and quail, can search for food a few hours after hatching); warm-blooded v. Mammals: warm-blooded; have hair on their bodies; parents care for the young; females produce milk for their babies; breathe through lungs; most are terrestrial (live on land) though some are aquatic C. Skill Objectives 1. Students will be able to classify a group of items according to what they have in common. 2. Students will identify the four ways scientists classify animals: skeletal structure, reproduction, body covering, and body temperature. 3. Students will recognize that a zoologist is a scientist who studies animals. 4. Students will identify that endothermic (warm-blooded) animals make body heat from the food they eat. Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 1

5. Students will identify that ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals get body heat from their surroundings. 6. Students will identify that vertebrates are animals with a backbone. 7. Students will recognize that invertebrates are animals without a backbone. 8. Students will determine that reptiles have dry, thick, scaly skin. 9. Students will recognize that reptiles hatch from eggs. 10. Students will discover that reptiles are cold-blooded. 11. Students will discover that amphibians live two lives: one on land, one in water. 12. Students will identify that amphibians are cold-blooded animals. 13. Students will define metamorphosis to mean a change in form. 14. Students will recognize that amphibians go through a metamorphosis. 15. Students will identify that amphibians usually have moist skin. 16. Students will recognize that fish are aquatic animals, or they live in water. 17. Students will identify that fish hatch from eggs. 18. Students will discover that fish have gills to let them breathe under water. 19. Students will identify that fish have fins and tails to help them swim easily. 20. Students will recognize that fish have scales for skin. 21. Students will recognize that birds have different beaks for collecting different types of foods. 22. Students will identify that birds hatch from eggs. 23. Students will identify that birds are covered with feathers. 24. Students will discover that birds receive food from their parents until they are able to get their own. 25. Students will identify that birds are warm-blooded vertebrates. 26. Students will identify that mammals bodies are covered with hair. 27. Students will discover that mammals are warm-blooded. 28. Students will recognize that mammals parents care for their young, and females produce milk for their babies. 29. Students will discover that mammals breathe through lungs. 30. Students will identify that most mammals live on land, but some live in water. III. IV. BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE A. For Teachers 1. The Nature Company Discoveries Library: Mammals, by Dr. George McKay 2. Reptiles, by Paul McEvoy 3. What is a Bird? by Robert Snedden B. For Students 1. Grade K: Science: Animals and their Needs (p. 19) 2. Grade 1: Science: Living Things and their Environments (p. 37) 3. Grade 2: Science: Insects (p. 59) 4. Grade 2: Science: Life Cycles (p. 59) RESOURCES A. Reptiles, by Melissa Stewart (Lesson Three) B. Amphibians, by Bev Harvey (Lesson Four) C. Fishes, by Melissa Stewart (Lesson Five) D. What is a bird? by Robert Snedden (Lesson Six) E. Mammals, by Anna Claybourne (Lesson Seven) Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 2

V. LESSONS Lesson One: Introduction to Classification (one lesson, approximately 45 minutes) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. Students will develop an awareness of different classes of vertebrates. 2. Lesson Content a. Scientists classify animals according to the characteristics they share, for example: i. old-blooded or warm-blooded ii. Vertebrates (have backbones and internal skeletons) or invertebrates (do not have backbones or internal skeletons) 3. Skill Objective(s) a. Students will be able to classify a group of items according to what they have in common. b. Students will identify the four ways scientists classify animals: skeletal structure, reproduction, body covering, and body temperature. c. Students will recognize that a zoologist is a scientist who studies animals. B. Materials 1. Post-It notes several for each student 2. Appendix A: Animal Classification Bulletin Board Idea page (one copy for teacher reference) 3. Appendix B: How do Scientists Classify Animals? (one copy for display on bulletin board) 4. Appendix C: Bulletin Board Day 1 (one copy, cut into strips for display on bulletin board) 5. Black magic marker (one, for teacher use) C. Key Vocabulary 1. Zoologist: a scientist who studies animals 2. Classify: to group things according to what they have in common D. Procedures/Activities 1. Before beginning the lesson, designate two bulletin boards in the classroom to serve as graphic organizers for information for this unit. You will begin to display one board in the first lesson and continue throughout, and the other you will begin to display in the third lesson and continue throughout. For the first bulletin board, use a colorful border and background, and post the question: How do scientists classify animals? (You will build on this bulletin board each day. It should become a permanent, central focus for the unit.) 2. Draw three-five large Venn diagrams on your chalkboard. (If limited in space, you may choose to draw and re-use one diagram.) To begin, say to the students, We are going to play a special game today to learn about things we have in common. We will use this Venn diagram to show what we learn about ourselves. First, I am going to give each of you several Post-It notes. Please write your name neatly on each one. Pass out the Post-It notes and give the students time to write their names on each. 3. Say, I am going to label this side Boys, and I will label this side Girls. (Label the diagram as such.) When I call on your row, please come up to the board and place your name where it should go in the diagram. Call on each row to place their names on the chart, and allow students to share their observations. Ask them, How many boys are in our class? How many girls? Which do we have more of? As you can see, there are no names in the middle section, because a Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 3

person cannot be both a boy and a girl. They must be one or the other. Let s try this with another question. 4. Continue this procedure with other questions appropriate for your class: Do you like chocolate? Are you eight years old? What color is your hair? Are you wearing shoes or sandals? Do you wear glasses? What color are your eyes? Discuss the results of each question. 5. Tell the students, We have been classifying ourselves into groups. To classify means to organize things into groups, based on what they have in common. We put our names in different groups, depending on our answers to the questions we talked about. Congratulations, third graders: you are zoologists! What is a zoologist? (Allow students to offer suggestions.) A zoologist is a scientist who studies animals. Today, we will begin learning what zoologists do: they study animals to learn what they have in common, and then they use what they learn to classify these animals into groups. 6. Say, Did you know that there are over ten million kinds of animals in the world? That s a lot of animals to study! So that they could keep them all straight, scientists have found four things to study about animals to find what they have in common. They look at their skeletal structure, or what kind of bones the animals have. They also look at their reproduction, or how these animals give birth to babies. They look at their body covering, like if they have scales or fur, and finally, they look at the animals body temperature, or what the animals have to do to keep warm. Show Appendix C. Cut apart each of the terms, and post them on the bulletin board. Use a black magic marker to visually connect the postings with a line. 7. Tell the students, We will use this bulletin board and another one to show what we learn through our studies of animal classification. You will want to watch and listen carefully as we add to the board, because this will really help you learn this important information! As you learn new things, we will add more information to this board. It will be exciting as we watch our knowledge grow! 8. Review with the students the four ways scientists classify animals: skeletal structure, reproduction, body covering, and body temperature. E. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Have students create a collection of things from their desks. Allow them to work with a partner to classify the items into groups, and then have them share how they classified them. Lesson Two: Vertebrates and Invertebrates; Cold-blooded and Warm-blooded (one lesson, approximately 45 minutes) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. Students will develop an awareness of different classes of vertebrates. 2. Lesson Content a. Scientists classify animals according to the characteristics they share, for example: i. Cold-blooded or warm-blooded ii. Vertebrates (have backbones and internal skeletons) or invertebrates (do not have backbones or internal skeletons) 3. Skill Objective(s) a. Students will identify that endothermic (warm-blooded) animals make body heat from the food they eat. Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 4

b. Students will identify that ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals get body heat from their surroundings. c. Students will identify that vertebrates are animals with a backbone. d. Students will recognize that invertebrates are animals without a backbone. B. Materials 1. Appendix A: Animal Classification Bulletin Board Idea page (one copy for teacher reference) 2. Appendix D: Vertebrates (one copy onto a transparency, to use as an overhead) 3. Appendix E: Invertebrates (one copy onto a transparency, to use as an overhead) 4. Appendix F: Bulletin Board, Lesson Two (one copy, cut into strips for display on bulletin board A) 5. Paper (one for each student) 6. Crayons or colored pencils for each student C. Key Vocabulary 3. Endothermic: warm-blooded; an animal that makes body heat from the food it eats 4. Ectothermic: cold-blooded; an animal that needs to get heat from its surroundings 5. Vertebrate: animal with a backbone or internal skeleton 6. Invertebrate: animal without a backbone or internal skeleton D. Procedures/Activities 1. Tell the students, We learned yesterday that scientists have many ways of classifying animals. One characteristic scientists use to classify animals is whether they make their own body heat inside their bodies or not. Animals that need to get body heat from their surroundings are called ectothermic. (Write this word on the board. Underline ecto.) Say to the students, Ecto means outside, and thermic means heat. When we put those together, we see that ectothermic means outside heat. Animals that are ectothermic do not keep their body temperature the same all the time. They get their body heat from their surroundings. Another word for this ectothermic is cold-blooded. If it is cold outside, it is also cold inside their bodies. But, it is important for you to know that cold-blooded animals do not always have cold blood, actually. It depends on their surroundings. If they are in a warm environment, their bodies warm up. 2. Show the ectothermic word card from Appendix F. Display on bulletin board. 3. Tell the students, Animals such as frogs, alligators, and snakes are ectothermic. They need to get heat from their surroundings in order to be able to move and stay active. When they get too cold, they are not able to move quickly. Have you ever seen a snake warming itself on a rock? Or a picture of an alligator sunning itself on the sand? The snake and the alligator are warming themselves up. 4. Ask the students, Are people ectothermic? (No, we re not.) We know this because our bodies keep the same temperature all the time, unless we re sick. We do not have to lie in the sun to warm up our bodies just so we can stay active. It s a good thing we re not cold-blooded, or we would have to lie in outside in the sun before we could eat our lunches or play on the playground! 5. Tell the students, We are people, and people make their own body heat. Lots of animals make their own body heat, like dogs, cats, mice, horses, squirrels, lions, and many others. Animals that make their own body heat are called endothermic. (Write the word on the board. Underline endo.) Tell the students, Endo means inside. If endo means inside, then can you predict what endothermic means? (inside heat) Another word for endothermic is warm- Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 5

blooded. Endothermic animals make body heat with energy from the food they eat. Their bodies take in food, and they change food energy into heat energy to keep their bodies warm. Endothermic animals can stay active any time, whether it is warm or not. But to keep their bodies at the right temperature, they need to keep getting energy by eating often throughout the day. That s why we eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some snakes eat only once a week, or even once a month! 6. Show the endothermic word card from Appendix F. Display on bulletin board. 7. Tell the students, Another way to classify animals is by looking at their skeletons. The most important part to look at on the skeleton is the backbone. Feel the back of your neck. What do you feel? (bumps) Those bumps are small bones, and they go all the way down your back. They make your backbone. Show the Appendix D transparency. Call on students to identify the backbone in each animal s skeleton. 8. Say to the students, Your backbone is made up of tiny bones all lined up together. Those tiny bones are called vertebrae. Animals that have backbones are called vertebrates. (Write vertebrate on the board.) What would happen if we didn t have backbones? Discuss student s imaginative answers. 9. Show the vertebrate word card. Display on bulletin board. 10. Ask the students, Do you think that there are some animals in the world that do not have skeletons at all? (Discuss answers.) Sure there are! Show the transparency of Appendix E. Tell the students, These animals don t have backbones, and they have very soft, squishy bodies. Some of these animals have no bones on the inside, but they have hard shells to protect them, like the clam, squid, and lobster. These hard shells are called exoskeletons. It s like having bones on the outside of their bodies. Animals that do not have backbones are called invertebrates. Write invertebrates on the board. 11. Show the invertebrate word card. Display on bulletin board. 12. Ask the students, Do you think most of the animals in the world are vertebrates or invertebrates? Discuss answers. Actually, most of the animals in the world are invertebrates. Only a very small portion of creatures on the earth are vertebrates, or have backbones, like us. E. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Give each student a piece of paper; have the students fold their papers into four sections. Have students draw four illustrations of different animals: an ectothermic animal, an endothermic animal, a vertebrate, and an invertebrate. Students will write one sentence under each picture, telling why that animal fits into these categories. Lesson Three: Reptiles (one lesson, approximately 45 minutes) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. Students will understand characteristics of animals that allow them to live in specific environments. 3. Lesson Content a. Reptiles: dry, thick, scaly skin; hatch from eggs; cold-blooded 3. Skill Objective(s) a. Students will determine that reptiles have dry, thick, scaly skin. b. Students will recognize that reptiles hatch from eggs. c. Students will discover that reptiles are cold-blooded. Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 6

B. Materials 1. Six-eight scented cotton balls placed around the room (scents may be lemon, peppermint, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, coffee, etc.) 2. Four small pieces of paper for each student 3. Pretzel sticks (two for each student) 4. Reptiles, by Melissa Stewart 5. Appendix G: Classes of Animals Bulletin Board Idea Page (one copy for teacher reference) 6. Appendix H: Classes of Animals (one copy for display on bulletin board B) 7. Appendix I: Characteristics of Reptiles (two copies, cut into strips, for display on both bulletin boards A and B) 8. Pictures of reptiles (alligator, snake, turtle) cut from magazines (at least three to display on bulletin board) 9. Stapler (one for the teacher, for displaying items on bulletin boards) C. Key Vocabulary 1. Reptile: any of various cold-blooded, usually egg-laying vertebrates of the class Reptilia: such as a snake, lizard, crocodile, turtle, or dinosaur, having an external covering of scales or horny plates and breathing by means of lungs D. Procedures/Activities 1. Before beginning the lesson, place the scented cotton balls in hidden places around the classroom. During the lesson, the students will use their sense of smell to find them, so try to put them in places where the students can find them. 2. Also, before beginning the lesson, prepare the second bulletin board for display. Use a colorful border and background, and post the card that reads: Classes of Animals. (You will build on this bulletin board each day. It should become a permanent, central focus for the unit.) 3. Tell the students, We have been learning about how to classify animals. Can you remind me: what are the four ways scientists classify animals? (by their skeletal structure, reproduction, body covering, and body temperature) Who can tell me the difference between ectothermic and endothermic animals? (ectothermic are cold-blooded, and their body temperature depends on their surroundings; endothermic are warm-blooded, and they eat food to get energy to stay warm) Today we are going to learn about a special group of cold-blooded animals: the reptiles! What are some things you already know about reptiles? Let students share their knowledge of reptiles. 4. Read Reptiles. When you finish, ask the students, What did you learn from this book about reptiles? Are they warm- or cold-blooded? (cold-blooded) What does their skin feel like? (dry and scaly) How are they born? (they hatch from eggs) What kinds of animals are in the reptile family? (snakes, turtles, lizards, crocodiles, alligators) 5. Tell the students, Since we are learning about Reptiles today, let s add their card to our board here. (Add Reptile card to Bulletin Board B only.) We have learned some important things about reptiles from this book. Let s review them together. (Show Appendix I cards.) We know that reptiles are cold-blooded, they have dry, thick, scaly skin, and they hatch from eggs. (Display each card on bulletin board B only.) Say, I have some pictures of reptiles also that we can put on our board. Can you tell me what animals these are? Let the students identify each reptile as you display them on the board. 6. Draw students attention to bulletin board A. Say, Isn t it exciting when we learn new things that we can add to our boards? We have some important things that we can add to this board. We now know one kind of body covering: dry, Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 7

thick, scaly skin. Let s add that to our board to show that s one kind of body covering. (Let a student attach card to Bulletin Board A.) We also know one kind of reproduction: hatching from eggs. Let s add that one. (Attach card to bulletin board.) Great job! This board is really coming together, and that shows me you must be learning a lot! 7. Tell the students, We are going to imagine that we are reptiles today. We re going to do some things to help us see what life is like for reptiles, and to see how different they are from us. For example, snakes cannot blink. Let s see how long we can go without blinking! Have a contest to see who can go the longest without blinking! 8. Say, A gecko lizard can clean its eyeballs with its tongue. What can you reach with your tongue? Let students share their discoveries. 9. Say, Slow moving reptiles may breathe only one time in one minute. How many times do you breathe in one minute? Let s time ourselves! Go! Time the students for one minute. Let them share their totals. Say, We breathe a lot more than slow moving reptiles, don t we?! 10. Say, Snakes shed their skin by rubbing their bodies against rocks or other surfaces. Let s try this: try to take off your sock without using your hands! Just rub your foot along the carpet or the edge of your desk. It s pretty tough to do! Let the students try this activity. 11. Say, Snakes find food using their sense of smell. I have hidden some scented cotton balls in this room, and I want to see if you can find them, using just your sense of smell. See what you can find! Let the students (a small group or the whole class) try to find the cotton balls. Let them share what it is like to find things using only your sense of smell. 12. Give each student four small pieces of paper. Say, Crumple these into four small balls of paper; they will be like your snake eggs. A mother python curls around her eggs and moves them with her. Can you move these eggs without smashing them? Let the students try this experiment. 13. Say, The blue-tongued skink uses its tongue to warn off enemies. Can you use your tongue to scare somebody? Let them give it a try! This should be fun to watch! 14. Say, Crocodiles have powerful jaws that can snap their pray in two! I want you to use your jaws to snap these pretzels in two, just like a crocodile. Pass out the pretzels to each student. 15. Ask, Who would like to share something you ve learned today about reptiles? Allow students to share. E. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Students can verbally share what they have learned about reptiles. Lesson Four: Amphibians (one lesson, approximately 45 minutes) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. Students will understand characteristics of animals that allow them to live in specific environments. 2. Lesson Content a. Amphibians: live part of their lives in water and part on land; have gills when young, later develop lungs; cold-blooded; usually have moist skin 3. Skill Objective(s) a. Students will discover that amphibians live two lives: one on land, one in water. Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 8

b. Students will identify that amphibians are cold-blooded animals. c. Students will define metamorphosis to mean a change in form. d. Students will recognize that amphibians go through a metamorphosis. e. Students will identify that amphibians usually have moist skin. B. Materials 1. One bottle of honey 2. One bottle of lotion 3. A glass of water 4. Towels 5. One bottle of glue 6. Amphibians, by Bev Harvey 7. Pictures of amphibians (lizard, frog, toad, salamander, etc.) from magazines (at least three) 8. Appendix A: Animal Classification Bulletin Board Idea page (one copy for teacher reference) 9. Appendix G: Classes of Animals Bulletin Board Idea Page (one copy for teacher reference) 10. Appendix J: Characteristics of Amphibians (two copies, for display on both bulletin boards A and B) 11. Stapler for displaying things on bulletin board 12. Appendix Y: Amphibian Illustration Rubric (one copy for each student) C. Key Vocabulary 1. Amphibian: a cold-blooded, smooth-skinned vertebrate of the class Amphibia, such as a frog or salamander, that characteristically hatches as an aquatic larva with gills. The larva then transforms into an adult having air-breathing lungs; an animal capable of living both on land and in water 2. Metamorphosis: a change in the form and often habits of animals during development, such as the change from a tadpole to a frog D. Procedures/Activities 1. To begin the lesson, have a student review what he has learned by pointing out information on either bulletin board. 2. Tell the students, You are going to learn a new word today. The word is: amphibian. Now, amphibian is a class of animals, but it also has its own meaning. Amphibian means: double life. You re going to learn today about a class of animals that live two very different lives. Remind students that they learned about the life cycle of frogs last year, and how frogs change shape as they grow. 3. Ask, Last year, in second grade, you learned a really long word that means change in form. Can you remember that word? (Let students share suggestions.) The word is metamorphosis. Metamorphosis means change in form. Amphibians go through a metamorphosis as they grow. Let s read this book and see how they change. 4. Read Amphibians, by Bev Harvey. After reading the book, ask the students, What did you learn about amphibians? What kind of animals are in the amphibian family? (frogs, toads, salamanders, and caecilians) What is unique about them? (they live part of their lives on land, and part in the water) Are they warm-blooded or cold-blooded? (cold-blooded) 5. Say, Let s discuss some of the things we ve learned about Amphibians from this book. First of all, we need to add Amphibians to our board. (Add Amphibians card from Appendix J to board B.) Now, what do we know about them? We know that they live part of their lives in water and part on land. (Display card on Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 9

board B.) We know that they have gills when they are young and later they develop lungs. (Display card on board B.) We know that they are cold-blooded, and they usually have moist skin. (Display cards on board B.) I have some pictures of amphibians for us to put on display. Can you identify them? (Let students name them as you display them.) We also have learned something that we can add to our other board: another type of body covering. Amphibians usually have moist skin, so let s add that over here. (Add card to board A.) 6. Say, We are going to imagine that we are amphibians today. We re going to do some things to help us see what life is like for amphibians, and to see how different they are from us. 7. Say, The spotted salamander gives off a sticky liquid to defend itself. Rub some honey on the back of your hand, and see what happens when a friend touches your hand. Distribute honey and let students share their findings. 8. Say, Amphibians tongues are connected at the front of their mouths. Stick out your tongue, and see where yours is connected. Observe a friend s tongue to see where their tongue is connected. Let students share their observations. Ask, Why do you think amphibians tongues are connected at the front instead of the back? Let students share ideas. 9. Say, Some frogs give off a creamy liquid to keep predators away. Put some lotion on the back of your hand, and see what happens when a friend touches it. Distribute lotion and let students share their discoveries. The lotion keeps their friend from being able to grab their hand because the hand is slippery; the same is true of the frog. Its predators aren t able to catch it as easily, since it becomes slippery. 10. Say, Some amphibians also shed a layer of skin, just like reptiles. Make a layer of glue skin on the back of your hand, and see what it feels like to peel it off. Let students try this experiment and share what it feels like. 11. Say, One kind of toad can squirt poison up to 1 meter away. Would any of you like to pretend to be that toad and see how far you can squirt some water with your mouth? Lay out some towels to catch the water, and let students try squirting the water to see how far they can send it. See if any of your students can squirt this poison over a meter! 12. Say, Frogs keep from dehydrating by absorbing water into their skin. Rub some water onto your skin. Does it absorb into your body? Let students give it a try and share their findings. 13. Say, Tree frogs have sticky pads on their feet. Put a little glue on each fingertip of one hand. Wait until it is almost (but not completely) dry. See what kinds of things stick to your fingers. Why do you think tree frogs need sticky pads? (So they can stick to the trees and climb easily.) 14. Say, Some frogs flatten themselves to keep cool. They tuck their legs and feet under their bodies and flatten their bodies. This reduces the surface area of their bodies that can absorb heat from the sun. How small and flat can you make your body? Let students try this experiment. 15. Ask, Who would like to share something they learned about amphibians today? Allow time for students to share. E. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Have students illustrate a picture showing the changes amphibians go through as they change from their water life to their land life. Use Appendix Y to evaluate. Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 10

Lesson Five: Fish (one lesson, approximately 45 minutes) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. Students will understand characteristics of animals that allow them to live in specific environments. 2. Lesson Content a. Fish: aquatic animals; breathe through gills, cold-blooded; most have scales; most develop from eggs that the female lays outside her body 2. Skill Objective(s) a. Students will recognize that fish are aquatic animals, or they live in water. b. Students will identify that fish hatch from eggs. c. Students will discover that fish have gills to let them breathe under water. d. Students will identify that fish have fins and tails to help them swim easily. e. Students will recognize that fish have scales for skin. B. Materials 1. Fishes, by Melissa Stewart 2. Appendix K: Characteristics of Fish (one copy, cut into strips for display on both bulletin boards) 3. Appendix L: Gills, Fins, and Tails (one copy, on a transparency) 4. Overhead projector 5. Vis-à-vis marker 6. Appendix A: Animal Classification Bulletin Board Idea page (one copy for teacher reference) 7. Appendix G: Classes of Animals Bulletin Board Idea Page (one copy for teacher reference) 8. Stapler for displaying items on the bulletin board 9. Pictures of fishes from magazines (at least three) 10. A balloon 11. One box of dry cereal 12. Paper (two pieces, per student) 13. One bag of jelly beans 14. Appendix Z: Fish Illustration Rubric (one for each student) C. Key Vocabulary 1. Aquatic: living or growing in water 2. Fish: a cold-blooded vertebrate with gills and fins 3. Gill: an organ in aquatic animals that breathes water to obtain oxygen 4. Fin: a part of a fish used for propelling, steering or balancing the body while swimming in the water D. Procedures/Activities 1. To begin lesson, have a student review what he/she has learned by showing the information that is displayed on the bulletin boards. 2. Say to the students, So far in this unit, we have learned about amphibians and reptiles. Today, we re going to learn about another family of animals: the fish! What are some things you already know about fish? Let students share their knowledge of fish. 3. Read Fishes, by Melissa Stewart. After reading, discuss the following questions with the students, What did you learn about fish from this book? Where do fish live? (in the ocean and in freshwater) Are fish vertebrates or invertebrates? Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 11

(vertebrates) How do fish breathe? (through their gills, which are like our lungs) What is their skin like? (scaly) What body part do fish use to swim? (their fins) How are fish born? (they hatch from eggs) 4. Ask the students, Do we say two fish or two fishes? It s tricky, isn t it? We often add the letter s or es to make a word plural, but that rules doesn t apply to words like sheep or deer. But when you re talking about fish, there s a special rule. You should use two fish when you re talking about the same kind of fish, but two fishes when you re talking about different kinds of fishes. 5. Say to the students, Let s show what we ve learned about fish. First of all, we need to add Fish to our board. (Add Fish card from Appendix K to board B.) Now, what do we know about them? We know that they hatch from eggs, so let s put that on our board. (Display card on board B.) We know that they have gills to let them breathe. (Display card on board B.) We know that they are cold-blooded, and they usually have scaly skin. (Display cards on board B.) We also know that they live in water, so they are called aquatic animals. (Display card on board B.) I have some pictures of fishes for us to put on display. Take a look at these as I put them on the board. 6. Say, Fish have some body parts that are very important to help them breathe and swim underwater. Let s take a look at a picture of a fish. Show Appendix L, a drawing of a fish on a transparency. Label the fins, gills, and tails. Explain that the fins and tails help fish swim, and the gills let them breathe. 7. Tell the students, Today we are going to pretend we are fish! We are going to do some experiments and activities to show us what it is like to be a fish. First of all, fish open and close their mouths to get oxygen from the air. We can breathe through our mouths or our noses, but let s open and close our mouths to get air, just like the fish do. Let students try this activity. 8. Say, Fish have a swim bladder that fills with air when they want to rise in the water, and it lets all the air out when they want to sink in the water. I will demonstrate this with a balloon. Blow up the balloon, and show how the filled swim bladder lifts the fish up near the surface of the water. Let the air out, and show how that allows the fish to sink lower. The air is lighter than water, so it helps the fish to rise when the swim bladder is full 9. Say, Fish have eyes on the sides of their heads, and their eyes help them to see things that are almost behind them. Wouldn t it be nice if we could see behind ourselves? Right now, work with a friend for this one. Have a friend start beside you and start taking steps backward while you stay in the same spot. How far back can your friend go before you have to turn your head to see him or her? Let students try this and share their discoveries. 10. Say, Fish are noisy eaters. Some fish eat loudly enough to attract nearby fish to the feeding area. How noisily can you eat? Give each student a small portion of the dried cereal and let them try eating noisily this is something they don t often get to do, if they are children with good manners! 11. Say, Fish have fins that help them move through the water. Make a fan with paper and feel how it makes the air move around it as you swim through the air. Pass out two pieces of paper to each student, and let them try this experiment. 12. Say, Mouth brooders carry eggs in their mouths. Can you keep eggs in your mouth without biting or swallowing them? How many can you hold? (Use jelly beans to try this out.) Ask, Is it difficult to keep those jelly beans safe in your mouth without swallowing them or biting them? Imagine if you were a mother fish carrying your unborn babies that way! Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 12

13. Say, Sharks swim with their mouths open to get oxygen from the water. How long can you keep your mouth open without needing to close it? Have a contest to see who can keep their mouth open the longest. 14. Ask the students, Who would like to share something they learned today about fishes? Allow students to share what they have learned. E. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Draw a colorful fish and label fins, gills, and tails. Use Appendix Z: Fish Illustration Rubric to evaluate. Lesson Six: Birds (one lesson, approximately 45 minutes) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. Students will understand characteristics of animals that allow them to live in specific environments. 2. Lesson Content b. Birds: most can fly; have feathers and wings; most build nests; hatch from eggs; most baby birds must be fed by parents and cared for until they can survive on their own (though some, like baby chickens and quail, can search for food a few hours after hatching); warm-blooded 3. Skill Objective(s) a. Students will recognize that birds have different beaks for collecting different types of foods. b. Students will identify that birds hatch from eggs. c. Students will identify that birds are covered with feathers. d. Students will discover that birds receive food from their parents until they are able to get their own. e. Students will identify that birds are warm-blooded vertebrates. B. Materials 1. What is a bird? By Robert Snedden. 2. Appendix M: Characteristics of birds (two copies, cut into strips for display on both bulletin boards) 3. Appendix N: Bird Beaks (one copy, on a transparency) 4. Overhead projector 5. Pictures of birds from magazines (at least three, preferably each with a different kind of beak) 6. Appendix A: Animal Classification Bulletin Board Idea page (one copy for teacher reference) 7. Appendix G: Classes of Animals Bulletin Board Idea Page (one copy for teacher reference) 8. Paper (two for each student) 9. Straws (one for each student) 10. Small cups of orange juice (one for each student) 11. Dry cereal (one box, left over from Lesson Five) 12. Plastic spoons (one for each student) 13. Appendix AA: Bird Beaks Rubric (one copy for each student) C. Key Vocabulary 1. Bird: warm-blooded, egg-laying, feathered vertebrates with wings D. Procedures/Activities 1. To begin, have a student review the information covered in the unit by showing the information displayed on the bulletin boards. Say to the students, Today we Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 13

are going to learn about another family of animals: birds. What are some things we know already about birds? Let students share their ideas. 2. Read What is a Bird? by Robert Snedden. After reading, discuss the following questions with the students, What did you learn from the book about birds? What are their bodies covered with? (feathers) How are they born? (they hatch from eggs) How do baby birds get food? (most are fed by their parents until they can find food on their own) 3. Say, Let s show what we ve learned now. First of all, we need to add Birds to our board. (Attach and display cards from Appendix N.) What do we know about birds? We know that they are warm-blooded vertebrates, they hatch from eggs, their bodies are covered with feathers, and they get food from their parents. We re sure learning a lot about all of these animals! Also, on our other board, we have now learned of another body covering: feathers. Let s add that one, too! 4. Say, There is something unique about birds: they have beaks. Do all of their beaks look the same? Well, let s look at these pictures of them (point to bulletin board B). Do they look the same? No, they are different. Birds have different shaped beaks depending on how they use them. Let s take a look at these different types of beaks. (Show Appendix N.) Discuss how each beak is shaped differently for different needs. 5. Point to Beak A. Say, This beak is hooked. We see this kind of beak on eagles and hawks. Why do you think they need a beak that is short and sharp? Let students share their suggestions. They use their beaks to tear off strips of meat easily. 6. Point to Beak B. Say, This is a very small beak. What do you think this kind of bird needs a small beak for? (for eating tiny seeds or crushing cherry and plum seeds) 7. Point to Beak C. Say, Some birds that live along the shoreline have long, thin beaks. Why do they need these? (They are ideal for reaching animals such as worm and shellfish that live beneath the sand.) 8. Point to Beak D. Say, Here is a flat beak. Ducks generally have flat beaks. Mostly ducks eat plants or small animals that live in the water. Many ducks are often seen in shallow water with their heads down and their rears pointing upward. They are looking for food on the muddy bottom. 9. Point to Beak E. Say, This is a pelican beak. Pelicans have huge beaks! A large pouch of skin is attached between the end of the lower half of its beak and throat. This is used to scoop up fish from the water. When the pelican lifts its head, the water drains out, and the fish is left inside the pelican s mouth. 10. Say to the students, Today, we are going to pretend we are birds. First of all, birds can t turn their eyeballs in their head, so they need to turn their heads to see things. Keep your eyes straight ahead and turn your head to see the sides of the classroom. How far can you turn your head? Let students try this experiment. Ask them if it is harder or easier to turn only their heads instead of just their eyeballs! 11. Say, Birds preen their feathers with their beaks. To preen means to cover their feathers with oil so they will be water proof. Can you preen your feathers with your fingers like a beak? Allow students to pretend they are preening! 12. Say, Blow across the top of a paper and see how it moves. The air moves over the top of a bird s wings when it flies. Pass out pieces of paper and let the children try this activity. 13. Say, Some birds have wings that allow them to glide on the air. Make a paper glider that will glide on the air. How far will it glide without stopping? Let Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 14

students make their paper gliders and have a contest to see whose will glide the farthest! 14. Say, Some birds, like hummingbirds, have straw-like beaks for sucking nectar. Use a straw to try getting nectar from inside your cup. Give each student a straw and a small cup with some orange juice inside. Allow them to suck the nectar with their straws. 15. Say, Some birds use their beaks like pliers to pick up food. Try to use your fingers as pliers like a beak to pick up your food. Give each student a small portion of dry cereal, and let them try to pick up one piece at a time and eat with their beaks. Ask, What kind of foods would birds use a plier beak to eat? (small seeds or berries) 16. Say, Some birds have mouths like a shovel. Use a spoon to shovel up some food. Let students try this with their spoons and dry cereal. Ask, What kind of foods would birds use a shovel beak to eat? (fish in the water, like the pelican) 17. Ask the students, Who would like to share something they have learned about birds today? Allow students to share what they have learned. E. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Have students draw pictures of birds with different beaks. They will write a sentence below each illustration to tell what that bird uses its beak for, or what kind of food it eats. Use Appendix AA to evaluate. Lesson Seven: Mammals (one lesson, approximately 45 minutes) A. Daily Objectives 1. Concept Objective(s) a. Students will understand characteristics of animals that allow them to live in specific environments. 2. Lesson Content a. Mammals: warm-blooded; have hair on their bodies; parents care for the young; females produce milk for their babies; breathe through lungs; most are terrestrial (live on land) though some are aquatic 3. Skill Objective(s) a. Students will identify that mammals bodies are covered with hair. b. Students will discover that mammals are warm-blooded. c. Students will recognize that mammals parents care for their young, and females produce milk for their babies. d. Students will discover that mammals breathe through lungs. e. Students will identify that most mammals live on land, but some live in water. B. Materials 1. Appendix O: Good Morning, Mammals! play (10 copies for student actors) 2. Mammals, by Anna Claybourne 3. Appendix P: Characteristics of Mammals (two copies, cut into strips for display on bulletin boards) 4. Magazine pictures of mammals (polar bear, tiger, horse, dog, blue whale, human, etc.) (at least three) 5. Appendix Q: Mammal Quiz 6. Appendix R: Mammal Quiz ANSWERS Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 15

C. Key Vocabulary 1. Mammal: warm-blooded vertebrate animals, including humans, characterized by a covering of hair on the skin and, in the female, milk-producing mammary glands for nourishing the young D. Procedures/Activities 1. Before beginning the lesson, choose ten student actors to perform Good Morning, Mammals! You should give them the scripts in advance (and possibly allow for some rehearsal time) so they will be prepared to perform for the class. 2. To begin the lesson, have the student actors perform Good Morning, Mammals! for the class. After the play, ask the students, What are some things you learned about mammals from watching this play? Accept students ideas and discussions. 3. Read Mammals, by Anna Claybourne. After reading, discuss the following questions with the students, What did you learn from the book about mammals? What are their bodies covered with? (hair) How are they cared for when they are young? (their mothers care for them) Where do they live? (most live on land, but some live in water) 4. Say, Let s show what we ve learned now. First of all, we need to add Mammals to our board. (Attach and display cards from Appendix P.) What do we know about mammals? We know that they are warm-blooded vertebrates, they have hair on their bodies, the parents care for their young. We re sure learning a lot about all of these animals! Also, on our other board, we have now learned of another body covering: feathers. We have also learned another detail having to do with reproduction: mammal parents care for their young, and mom gives her babies milk. Let s add that one, too! 5. Say, Today, we are going to pretend we are mammals. First, let s move like a variety of mammals. Climb, crawl, jump, hop, hang Let students suggested ways to move like mammals, and let them demonstrate 6. Say, The bushbaby closes its ears when it sleeps. Can you close your ears to shut out all sounds? Let s try it! Let students close their ears, and then make sounds to let them see if they can still hear you. 7. Say, Whiskers help animals like cats move around in darkened areas and still know if there is an object in their path. Crawl on your knees, using your hands as whiskers to feel your way through a maze of desks. Try it with your eyes closed. Let students try this and share their discoveries. 8. Say, Mammals have different types of hair. Let s eel different hair types of students in the class. Discuss how curly hair feels different from straight, thin feels different from thick, etc. 9. Say, Kangaroos and wallabies do not sweat. They lick their arms and chests to keep cool. Try licking your arm. Would this help you keep cool? Let students share their ideas. 10. Say, Water mammals stay underwater a long time before coming to the surface to breathe. How long can you hold your breath? Have a contest to see who can pretend to be an underwater mammal the longest! 11. Ask the students, Who would like to share something they have learned about birds today? Allow students to share what they have learned. E. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Give Mammal Quiz, Appendix Q. (Answers included on Appendix R.) Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 16

VI. VII. VIII. CULMINATING ACTIVITY A. Animal Project (See Appendices S, T and U) Students will study a vertebrate of their choice. They will write a three-paragraph paper telling about their animal, and they will also create a model of that animal to display in the classroom. B. Take a trip to the zoo! C. Animal Classification Test (See Appendices V, W, and X) HANDOUTS/WORKSHEETS A. Appendix A: Animal Classification Bulletin Board Display (Lessons One-Seven) B. Appendix B: How Do Scientists Classify Animals? (Lesson One) C. Appendix C: Bulletin Board, Day One (Lesson One) D. Appendix D: Vertebrates (Lesson Two) E. Appendix E: Invertebrates (Lesson Two) F. Appendix F: Bulletin Board, Day Two (Lesson Two) G. Appendix G: Classes of Animals Bulletin Board Idea Page (Lesson Three) H. Appendix H: Classes of Animals (Lesson Three) I. Appendix I: Characteristics of Reptiles (Lesson Three) J. Appendix J: Characteristics of Amphibians (Lesson Four) K. Appendix K: Characteristics of Fishes (Lesson Five) L. Appendix L: Gills, Fins, and Tails (Lesson Five) M. Appendix M: Characteristics of Birds (Lesson Six) N. Appendix N: Beaks (Lesson Six) O. Appendix O: Script for Good Morning, Mammals (Lesson Seven) P. Appendix P: Characteristics of Mammals Q. Appendix Q: Mammal Quiz R. Appendix R: Mammal Quiz ANSWERS S. Appendix S: Animal Project T. Appendix T: Animal Report Evaluation Rubric U. Appendix U: Animal Project Evaluation Rubric V. Appendix V: Animal Classification Study Guide W. Appendix W: Animal Classification Test X. Appendix X: Animal Classification Test ANSWERS Y. Appendix Y: Amphibian Illustration Rubric (Lesson Four) Z. Appendix Z: Fish Illustration Rubric (Lesson Five) AA. Appendix AA: Bird Beaks Rubric BIBLIOGRAPHY A. Claybourne, Anna. Mammals. Brookfield: Copper Beach Books, 2000. ISBN: 0-7613- 1213-7. B. Harvey, Bev. Amphibians. Philadelphia: Chelsea Clubhouse, 2002. ISBN: 0-7910- 6983-4. C. Harvey, Bev. Fish. Philadelphia: Chelsea Clubhouse, 2002. ISBN: 0-7910-6982-6. D. McEvoy, Paul. Reptiles. Glebe: Blake Publishing, 2002. ISBN:0-7910-7283-5. E. McKay, George. The Nature Company Discoveries: Mammals. San Francisco: Time Life Books, 1996. ISBN: 0-8094-9372-1. F. Snedden, Robert. What is a Bird? San Francisco: Sierra Club Books for Children, 1992. ISBN: 0-87156-922-1. G. Stewart, Melissa. Fishes. New York: Children s Press, 2001. ISBN: 0-516-22038-1. H. Stewart, Melissa. Reptiles. New York: Children s Press, 2001. ISBN: 0-516-22036-5. I. Stone, Lynne. Animals in Disguise: Birds. Vero Beach: The Rourke Corporation, 1998. ISBN: 0-86593-486-X. Third Grade, Two by Two: Classifying Animals 2004 Colorado Unit Writing Project 17